Lent - spiritual significance of fasting

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A topic from Mind, Spirit & Beliefs: Human Spirit

ollysugarSun 05/10/08 14:54

We have just had Ramadan and Eid; right now we are in the gap between Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur - I know lots of muslim and jewish people. I feel a lack for any cultural, rather than religious, structure to my years. Xmas doesn't really cut it, does it?

As a secular person, more by default than choice, I have recently been pondering the spiritual benefits of Fasting, and thought it might be interesting to look to my own heritage first - the traditions of 'christian' fasting.

I can say that I have no desire to find a Creed - my spiritual leanings are adequately explained by our humanity, and the power of freedom of choice; G(o)od and (D)Evil are in us - that is it, for me.

I understand the simple spirituality has been hijacked by political/power interests since time. I am interested how Lent, as a period of reflection and renunciation, is marked by ritual and observance.

I am much less interested by theology. Similarly, not so interested by what I see some of my extended, catholic family doing; observing a 'fast' by giving up coffee or chocolate for lent.

Fasting, pilgrimage, meditation; they all seem to have relevance for secular practitioners - any experience and insight you might have to share would be very gratefully received.

cantorSun 05/10/08 15:14

If you fast the Eastern Orthodox way, you start Lent on a Monday, and include Sundays, so that you fast without a break. The western pattern begins on Ash Wednesday, and misses out Sundays, so that you don't have to fast then.

The reason Christmas doesn't cut it nowadays, I think, is that the secular Christmas ends on Christmas Day, because commerce's interest in the season is in getting people to shop for Christmas Day, after which Christmas's usefulness to commerce ceases. The secular Christmas follow the pattern convenient to commercial interest.

The mediaeval Christmas began when decorations were brought indoors on Christmas Eve, and probably remained for (like Lent) a period of forty days, until Candlemas Eve on February 1st. At one time, the week before Christmas (from the 16th or 17th December) was a period of fasting, still marked liturgically by texts which become increasingly enthusiastic about expecting the second coming of Christ. The fast was broken with the arrival Christmas.

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